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LORENTO'S 



Wizards' Guide; 



oxt, 



MAGIC MAD^ IIASr. 



By Loeento, 



THE OELEBEATED AND EENO'WNED AUSTKAIIAN WIZAED. 



vnil. 



HUEST & CO., PUBLISHEES, 

122 Nassau Steeet. 



€opyriglit 1878 by Hurst k C^ 



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THE ] Sg^' ^ 

TAXIDERMIST'S GUIDE ;;b78 

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AND PRESEKVING ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS, 

BIRDS FISHES, REPTILES, INSECTS, Etc. 



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LORENTO'S WIZARDS' GUIDE, 



How TO Cut Youe Aem oft without Hukt ob Dangeb. 




Yon provide yourself with, two knives, a true one and a false one, 
and when you go to show this feat, put the true knife in your pock- 
et, and then take out the false and clap it on your wrist undiscov- 
ered, and with a sponge make the knife bloody, and it will appear 
you have nearly severed your arm. 

A knife for the nose may be made on the same principaL 

The Basket Teick, 

A basket is used, cone-shaped, with six inches opening at top, largo 
enough to cover a person in a sitting position. With two hasps se- 
curely fastened to the basket, it is placed on a wooden platforia 
about two feet four inches square, which has two staple plates secured 
fast at the proper distance to receive the hasps which are fastened to 
the basket. One of the staples is arranged with the spring bolt, 
which can be shot back at the will of the performer, by inserting a 
thin steel plate or key between the cracks of the platform from the 
inside or the basket, which relieves or unlocks one of the staples, 
when the f)erformer has only to lift up that side of the basket an<i 
step out, replacing the staple on the plate and locking it again, which 
anyone will see can be done without breaking the seals on the lock 
or cords, whichever ma}'- be used. 



4 THE showman's GUIDH ; OB, 

To IDiOGk a Tumbler Through a Table. — This trick is rery effecfiTe, 
and calculated to excite an immense amount of curiosity and etir- 
prlse. Take an ordinary tumbler and a newspaper. Sit on a chair 
behind the tdble^ keeping the audience in front of it. Placo the 
tumbler on the table and cover it with the newspaper, pressing tho 
paper closely roimd, so that it gradually becomes fasMonfd io the 
form of the glass. Then draw the paper to th e edge o f tho table, and 
drop the tumbler into your lap — quickly returning the paper to tho 
centre of the table ; the stiffness of the paper will still preserve tho 
form of tho tumbler; hold the form with one hand, and strike 
» heavy blow upon it with the other; at the same moment drop tho 
tumbler from the lap to the floor; and you wiU appear to havo 
positively knocked the tumbler through the solid table. Caro 
should be taken after the tumbler is in the lap, to place the legs in 
such a fashion that the glass may slide gradually toward the 
ankles, so that the fall may not be sufficiently great to break the 
glass. Caro should be also, taken to smooth out the paper after tho 
blow has been struck,, to prevent suspicion of the fact that th& form 
of the glass was simply pi-eserved by the stiffness of the paper. 
Kever repeat this illusion. 

To Dri'm (hie TiimUer Tlirough Another. — This trick requires some 
little practice, or the result is nea.rly certain to bo attended with 
considerable destruction of glass. Select two tumblers of exactly 
the same pattern, and considerably larger at the top than at tho 
bottom — so much so, indeed, that either tumbler will fit at least 
half-way into the other. Sit on a chair, so that the falling tum- 
bler may fall softly into the lap. Hold one tumbler between the 
thumb and tho second finger of the left hand. Then play the other 
tumbler with the right hand several times in and out of tho left- 
hand tumbler, and during this play contrive at tho same instant to 
retain tho right-hand tumbler between the thumb and first finger 
of tho left hand, while the other, or lower glass, drops into the lap. 
"Well done, this trick has few superiors, and it Is worth any amount 
of practice to achieve it. It would be desirable to get a tinman to 

, make a couple of common tumbler-shaped tin cups to praetico 

( with. It will save much expense in glass. 

Th£) Ikmcing SMefon. — ^This is calculated to excite much aston- 
ishment, if well arranged beforehand. 

Get a piece of board about the size of a large school-slate, and 
have it painted black. The paint should be what is known as a 
dead color, without gloss or brightness. Sketch out the figure of 
a skeleton on a piece of card-board, and arrange it after the man- 
ner of the dancing sailors and other eaxd-board figures exposed for 
sale in the toy-shops, so that by holding the figiiro by the head in 



THE BIACK AET FULI^Y EXPOSED. 6 

one hand, and pulling a string with the other, the figure will throw 
up its legs and arms in a very ludicrous manner. 

Make the connections of the arms and legs with black string, and 
let the pulling string be also black. Tack the skeleton by the head 
to the black-board. The figure having beon cut out, is, of course, 
painted black like the board. 

Now, to perform. Produce the board. Show only the side upon 
which there is nothing, 

Request that the lights may be reduced about half, and take po^ 
sition at a little distance from the eompaiiy. With a piece of 
chalk make one or two attempts to draw a figure ; rub out your 
work as being unsatisfactory^ ; turn the slate ; the black figure will 
not be perceived ; rapidly touch the edges of the card-board figure 
with chalk, filling up rii3S, etc., at pleasure, and taking care thai 
nothing moves while the drawing is progressing, Then manipulate 
Vv^ith the fingers before the drawing, and request it to become ani- 
mated. By pulling the string below the figure it will, of course, 
kick up the legs aui throw about the arms, to the astonishment of 
everybody. 

A little musio frona the piano will greatly assist the illusion. 

To Place Wafer in a Drinking-glass Upside Z)ot/>n.— Procure a plate, 
a timibler, and a small piece of tissue or silver paper. Set the 
plate on a table, and pour water in it up to the first rim. Now, 
very slightly crumple up the paper, and place it in the glass ; then 
set it on the fire. When it is burnt out, or rather just as the last 
flame disappears, turn the glass quickly upside down into the 
water. Astonishing ! the water rushes with great violence into the 
glass ! Now you are satisfied that water can be placed in a drink-, 
ing-glass upside down. Hold the glass firm, and the plate also. 
You can now reverse the position of the plate and glass, and thua 
convince the most sceptical of the truth of your pneumatic experi- 
ment. Instead of burning paper, a little brandy or spirits of wine 
can bo ignited in the glass ; the x'esult of its combustion being in-s 
visible, the experiment is cleaner. 

The Faded Rose. Bestored.-^T&ke a rose that is quite faded, and 
tiirow some sulphur on a chafing-djsh of hot coals ; then hold the 
rose over the fumes of the sulphur, and it will become quite white ; 
ia this state dip it into water, put it into a box, or drawer, for 
three or four hours, and when taken out it will be quite red again. 

The Protean Liquid.— ^X red liquor, which, when poured into 
dKiorent glasses will become yellow, blue, black, and ' violet, may 
bo thus made : Infuse a few shavings of logwood in common 
water, aud wh^ii the liquor is red, pour it into p, battle ; theA takQ 



6 THE SHOWMAN S GUIDE ; OS, 

three drinking-glasses, rinse one pf them with strong vinegar, 
throw into the second a small quantity of pounded alum, which 
will not be observed if the glass has been newly washed, and leave 
the third without any preparation. If the red liquor in the bottle 
be poured into the lirst glass, it will assume a straw-color ; if into 
tho second, it will pass gradually from bluish-gray to black, pro- 
vided it bo stirred with a bit of iron, which has been privately 
Immersed in good vinegar; in the third glass the red liquor will 
.fissumo a violet tint. 

Eatable Candle Ends.-^T&ke a large apple, and cut out a few 
pieces in the shape of candle ends, round a,t the bottom and fiat 
at the top, in fact, as much like a piece of candle as possible. 
Now cut some slips from a sweet almond, as near as you can to 
resemble a wick, and stick them into the imitation candle. Light 
them for an instant, to make the tops black, blow them out, and 
they are ready for the trick. One or two should be artfully placed 
in a snuffer-tray, or candlestick ; you then inform your friends 
that during your "travels in the Russian Empire" you learned, 
like the Bussians, to be fond of candles ; at the same time lights 
ing ;70ur artificial candles (the almonds will readily take fire and 
flame for a few seconds), pop them into your mouth, and swallow 
them, one after the other. 

To Make a Watch Stop or Go at the Word of Command.— Borrow a 
watch from any person in the company and request of the whole to 
Btand around you. Hold the watch up to the ear of the first in 
the circle and command it to go. Then demand his testimony to 
the fact. Eemove it to the ear of the next, and enjoin it to stop. 
Make the same request of that party, and so on through the entire 

I]i-p''anaiion : You must take care in borrowing the watch that it 
bo a good one and goes well ; have concealed in your hand a piece 
of loadstone, which, as soon as you apply it to the watch, will 
occasion suspension of its movements, which a subsequent shak^ 
ing and withdrawing of the magnet will restore. 

To Walk iipon a Hot Iron J5ar.— Take half an ounce of camphor, 
dissolve it in two ounces of aqua vitse, add to it one of quick- 
silver, one ounce of liquid storax, which is the droppings of 
myrrh, and prevents the camphor from firing ; take also two 
ounces of hematis, which is red stone, to be had at the druggist's, 
-—and when you buy it let them beat it to a powder in their great 
mortar, for being very hard it cannot Aveli 1)0 reduced in a small 
one ; add this to the ingredients already specified, and when you 
purpose to walk upon Ihe bar, anoint your feet well with it, and 
-you may then put the feat into esocutioij without th^ slightest 
daiigep, 



THE BLACK ABT FTLLY EXPOSED. 7 

To Pour Cold Water into a Kettle and Make it come oid Hot wlthord the 
Aid of Fire. — You give a pint of cold water to one of the com- 
pany, and taking off the lid of the kettle, you request him to put 
it into it ; you then put the lid on the kettle. Take the pint, and 
the exact quantity of water comes out of the kettle boiling hot. 

This trick is performed in the following Yv^ay : Tlie kettle has 
two bottoms ; boiling water has been previously conveyed into it 
through the nose. There is no passage for the cold water, which 
is put in when the lid is off ; consequently, the hot water can alone 
be poured out. 

This trick may be varied, and for the better; as the heat of the 
water may betray it, should the bottom of the kettle bo fulL 
You may therefore propose to change Avater into wine or punch. 

A coffee-pot may be made on a similar plan ; but a kettle is pre- 
ferable, it being more likely from its size and breadth to bafllo 
the examination of the curious. 

This trick may also be improved by an additional expense, so 
that whatever liquor is on either bottom may be poured out occa- 
sionall}^. For this purpose there must be a double passage to the 
nose of the kettle, and secret springs to stop either passage. 

Row to Cut a Man's Head Off, and Put it into a Platter a Yard from 
his Body. — To show this feat, you must cause a board, a cloth, and 
a platter to be purposely made, and In each of them must be made 
holes fit for a boy's neck. The board must be made of two planks, 
the longer and broader the better ; there must be left within half 
a yard of the end of each plank half a hole, that both the planks 
being put together, there may remain two holes like the holes in a 
pair of stocks. There must be made likewise, a hole in the cloth ; 
a platter, having a hole of the same size in the middle thereof, 
must be set directly over it ; then the boy sitting or kneeling under 
the board ; let the head only remxain upon the board in the frame. 
To make the sight more dreadful, put a little brimstone into a 
/€haflng-dish of coals, and s§t it before the head of the boy, who 
must gasp two or three times that the smoke may enter his nos- 
trils and mouth, and the head presently Avill appear stark dead, 
and it a little blood be sprinkled on his face, the sight will ap- 
pear more dreadful. (This is commonly practiced with boys in- 
structed for that purpose.) At the other end of the table, where 
the other hole is made, another boy of the same size as the first 
boy must bo placed, his body on the table and his head through 
the hole in the table, at the opposite end to where the head is, 
which is exhibited. 

To Discover any Card in a Pack by its Weight cr Smell — Desire any 
person in the company to draw a card from the pack, and whea 
ha has looked at it, to return it with its facQ downward ; then. 



8 I'm: sHowMAN^s guide; oe, 

pretending to weigh it nicely, take notice of any particular mark 
on the back of the card ; which having done, put it among the rest 
of the cards, and desire the person to shuffle as lie pleases ; then 
giving you the pack, you pretend to weigh each card as before, 
and proceed in this manner until you have discovered the card 
he had. 

To Turn Water into Wme.— Take four beer glasses, rub one of 
ihem on the inside with a piece of alum ; put in the second a drop 
of vinegar ; the third empty, and then take a mouthful of clean 
water and a clean rag, with ground brazil tied in it, which must 
lie betwixt your hind teeth and your cheek. Then take of the 
water out of the glass into your mouth, and return it into the 
glass that has the drop of vinegar in it, which will cause it to 
have the perfect color of sack ; tlien turn it into your mouth again 
and chew your rag of brazil, and squirt the liquor into the glass, 
and ifc will have the perfect color and smell of claret; returning 
the brazil into its former place, take the liquor into your mouth 
again, and presently squirt it into the glass you rubbed with alum, 
and it will have the perfect color of mulberry wine. 

Magic Breath. — Put some lime-water in a tumbler ; breathe upon 
it through a small glass tube. The fluid, which before was per- 
fectly limpid, will gradually become white as milk. If allowed 
to remain at rest for a short time, real chalk will be deposited at 
the bottom of the tumbler. 

To Make a Party Appear Ghastly. — This can only be done in a 
room. Take half a pint of spirits, and having warmed it, put a 
handful of salt with it into a basin, then set it on fire, and it will 
have the effect of making every person within its influence look 
hideous. 

Hoio io Eat Fire. — Anoint your tongue with liquid storax, and 
you may put a pair of red hot tongs into your mouth without hurt- 
ing yourself, and lick them till they are cold. You may also take 
coals out of the fire and eat them as you would bread ; dip them 
into brimstone powder, and the fire will seem more strange, but 
the sulphur puts out the coal, and if you shut your mouth close 
you put out the sulphur, and so cheAv the coals and swallow them, 
which you may do without offending the body. If you put a 
piece of lighted charcoal into your mouth, you may suffer a pair 
of bellows to be blown into your mouth continually and receive 
no hurt; but your mouth must be quickly cleaned, otherwise it 
will cause a salivation. This is a very dangerous trick to be done, 
and those who practice it ought to use all means they can to pre- 
vent danger. I never saw on© of these fire-eaters that had a good 
complexion. 



T&E KLAeS AUT KJLLY EXPOSE®. 9 

To Dip the Hand in Water Without Wetting it. — Powder the surface 
of a bowl of water with lycopodium ; you may put your hand into 
it and take out a piece of money that has been previously put at 
the bottom of the bowl, without wetting your skin ; the lycopo- 
dium so attaching itself to the latter as to keep it entirely from 
coming in direct contact with the water. After performing the 
experiment a slight shake of the hand will lii it of the powder 

How to Shoot a Bird and Bring it to Life Again. — Load your gun 
with the usual charge of powder, but instead of shot put half a 
charge of quicksilver ; prime and shoot. If your piece bears ever 
so little near th© bird, it will find itself stunned and benumbed to 
such a degree as to fall to the ground in a fit. As it will regain 
its senses in a few minutes, you may make use of the time by say- 
ing that you are going to bring it to life again ; this will greatly 
astonish the company ; the ladies will no doubt interest them- 
selves in favor of the bird, and intercede for its liberty. Sympa- 
thizing with their feelings for the little prisoner may be the means 
of some of them sympathizing with yours. 

Hideous Metamorphosis. — Take a few nutgalls, bruise them to a 
very fine powder, which strew nicely upon a towel ; then put a little 
brown copperas into a basin of water ; this will soon dissolve and 
leave the water perfectly transparent. After any person has 
washed in this water, and wiped with the towel on which the 
galls have been strewed, his hands and face will immediately 
become black ; but in a few days by washing with soap they will 
again become clean. This trick is too mischievous for per- 
formance. 

How to Fill a Glass with Beer and Water at the Same Time, Without 
Mixing the two Liquids. — It is done thus : — Half fill a tumbler with 
beer, then take a piece of brown paper or thin card, and placing 
it on the top of the beer, let it get perfectly still and quiet, taking 
care to keep the table on which the tumbler is placed quite steady. 
When all vibration has ceased, take some clear spring water, and 
having a small phial filled with it, proceed to pour it on the card 
as gently as possible, and in as small a quantity as you can, recol- 
lecting at the same time that the whole success of the experiment 
rests on the steadiness with which you pour the water on the card. 
You will by degrees perceive the water sliding from the card to 
the surface of the beer, and covering it like a sheet of paper, 
making them appear separated, one lying on the top of the other ; 
but the steadiness of hand must be preserved until the glass is 
sufficiently full. You may reverse the order of the liquids if you 
please — i. e. by putting in water first and then the beer, the same 
pro««ss will give the same result. 



1§ THE sh©wman's gu^e; or, 

How io Kill a Fowl and Bring it to Life Again. — Take a hen or 
chicken, and thrust a sharp-pointed knife through the midst of the 
head, the Joint toward tlio bill, that ic may seem impossible for 
her to escape death, then use some words, and pulling out the 
knife, lay oats before her and she will eat, being not at all hurt 
with the wound, because the brain laj^s so far behind the head 
that it is not touched. 

To Light a Candle hy a Glass of Water. — Privately stick a small 
piece of phosphorus on the edge of a glass of water, apply a can- 
dle newdy blown out to it, and it will immediately be re-illuminated. 
The warmth of the snuff causes the phosphorus to ignite. 

To Light a Candle hy Smoke. — When a candle is burnt so low as 
to leave a tolerably large wick, blow it out, and a dense smoke, 
which is a compound of hydrogen and carbon, will immediately 
arise ; then, if another candle or lighted taper be applied to the 
utmost verge of this smoke, a very strange phenomenon will take 
place ; the ilame of the lighted candle will be conveyed to that 
just blown out, as if it were borne on a cloud. 

Tj Freeze Water hy Shaking it. — During very cold weather put 
some water into a close vessel and deposit it in a place where 
it will experience no commotion; in this manner it will often 
acquire a degree of cold superior to that of ice, but without freez- 
ing. If the vessel, however, be agitated ever so little, or if you 
give it a slight blow, the water will immediately freeze with sin- 
gular rapidity. 

L'on Changed into Silver. — Dissolve mercury in marine acid, and 
Immerse in it a bit of iron ; or, if this solution be rubbed over 
iron, it will assume a silver color. 

Two Cold Liquids when Mixed Become Boiling Hot. — Put into a 
thin phial two parts (by measure) of sulphuric acid, and add to it 
one part of water ; on agitating or stirring them together the mix- 
ture instantly becomes hot, and acquires a temperature above that 
of boiling water. 

The Incombustible Handkerchief. — Mix the whites of eggs and 
alum together ; then smear a handkerchief with it all over. Y/ash 
it in salt and water, and when dry lire will not consume it. 

Two Cold Liquids Produce Fire. — Put a small quantity of aqua- 
fortis into a saucer, add a few drops of oil of turpentine, oil of 
caraways, or any other essential oil, and a flame will instantly be 
pr©dueed. 



THE BLACK AET I'tJLLY EXPOSED. 11 

To O-lve a Person a Siipernatural Appearance.-^'Pnt One part of 
phosphorus into sis of olive oil, and" digest them in a sand heat. 
Hub this on the face (taking care to shut the eyes) and the appear- 
ance in the dark will be supernaturally frightful; all the parts 
which have been rubbed appearing to be covered by a luminous 
lambent flame of a bluish color, whilst the eyes and mouth appear 
like black spots. No danger whatever attends this experiment, 

The Ploatmg Keedle.-^'Fout some water in a plate ; then drop a 
needle lightly and carefully upon the surface, and it will float. 

Luminous WrUvig.-^TfikQ a piece of phosphorus, and, during? 
candle-light, write upon a whitewashed wall any sentence or vvorcl, 
or draw any figure according to fancy. "Withdraw the candle from 
the room, and direct the attention of the spectators to the writings- 
Whatever part the phosphorus has touched will be rendered quite 
luminous, emitting a whitish smoke or vapor. Care must be 
taken \fliile using the pho-phorus, to dip it frequently in a basin 
of cold water, or the repeative friction will throw it into a state of 
the most active combustion, to the manifest detriment of th© 
operator. j^^ 

BeauUfid Transforviatlons.'—Voiir half an ounce of diluted nitro- 
muriate of gold into an ale glass, and immerse in it a piece of 
very smootli charcoal. Expose the glass to the rays of the sun in 
a warm place, and the charcoal will very soon be covered over 
With a beautiful golden coat. Take it out with forceps, dry it, 
and inclose it in a glass for show. 

To Break a Stme rolih a B^ow of ike Ks^— Find two stones, from 
three to six inches long and about half as thicii ; lay one flat upon 
the ground, on which place one end of the other, raising the re- 
verse end to an angle of forty-five degrees, and Just over the 
centre of the other stone, with which it must form a T, being up- 
held ill that position by a pie3e of tliin twig or stick an inch or an 
inch and a hali long; if the elevated stone be now smartly struck 
about the centre vdth the little finger side of the hand, the stick 
Avill give way, and the stone will be broken to pieces. The stones 
must be placed, however, so as not to slip, otherwise the feat will 
not be eliected. 

Magical Tea-spoons. — Put into a crucible four ounces of bismuth 
and wlien in a state of fusion, add two ounces and a half of lead 
and one ounce and a half of tin ; these metals will combine ane 
form an alloy fusible in boiling v^^ater. Mould the alloy into bars, 
and take them to a silversmith to be made into tea-spoons. Givf 



12 THE showman's GmDE ; OR, 

One to a stranger to stir his tea with, and he wiU be greatly SUIS 
prised to find it melt in his tea-cup» 

To Gut and Tear info Pieces a Handkefchief^ and ir> Make it Whole 
Again.— -This feat, strange as it appears^ is very simple ; the per- 
former must have a confederate, who has two handkerchiefs of 
the same quality and with the same mark, one of which he throws 
upon the stage to perform the feat With The performer takes 
care to put this handkerchief uppermost in making up a bundle, 
though he affects to mix them together promiscuously. The per- 
son whom ho desires to draw one of the handkerchiefs, naturally 
takes that which comes first to hand. He desires to shake them 
again, to embellish the operation, but in so doing, takes care to 
bring the right handkerchief uppermost, and carefully fixes upon 
some simpleton to draw ; and if he find that he is not likely to 
take the first that comes to hand, he prevents him from drawing 
by fixing upon another, under pretense of his having a more saga- 
cious look. When the handkerchief is torn and carefully folded 
up, it is put under a glass upon a table placed near a partition. 
On that part of the table on which it is deposited is a little trap 
which opens and lets it fall into a drav/er. The confederate, con- 
cealed behind the curtain, passes his hand within the table, opens 
the trap and substitutes the second handkerchief instead of the 
first ; then shuts the trap, which fits so exactly the hole it closes, 
as to deceive the eyes of the most incredulous. If the performer 
be not pos3e33ed of such a table (which is absolutely necessary 
for other feats as well as this), he must have the second handker- 
chief in his pocket, and by sleight of hand change it for the 
pieces, which must be instantaneously concealed. 

How io Fire a Loaded Pistol at the Hmi, icUhout Uiiriing if.— This 
extraordinary illusion is performed with real powder, real bullets, 
and a real pistol ; the instrument which effects the deception being 
a ramrod. This ramrod is made of polished iron, and on one end 
of it is very nicely fitted a tube, like a telescope tube. When the 
tube is off the rod, there will, of course, appear a little projection. 
The other end of the rod must be made to resemble this exactly. 
The ramrod with the tube on being in your hand, you jmss the 
pistol round to the audience to be "examined, and re:iue3t one of 
them to put in a little powder. Then take the pistol your^eil:', and 
put in a very small piece of wadding, and ram it down ; an 1 iii 
doing so you will leave the tube of the ramrod inside the liarrel of 
the pistol. To allay any suspicion which might arise in tlie miiv.ts 
of your audience, you hand the ramrod to them for their inspection. 
The ramrod being returned to jon, you hand the pistol to some 
person in the audience, requesting him to insert a bullet, and to 



THE BLACK AET FULLY EXPOSED. 13 

mark it in Such a way that h© would know it again. You then take 
the pistol back, and put in a little more wadding. In ramming it 
down, the rod slips into the tube, whieh now forms, as it were, an 
inner lining to the barrel, and into which the bullet has fallen ; the 
tube fitting tight on to the rod is now withdrawn along with it 
from the pistol, and the bullet is easily got into the hand by pull- 
ing off the tube from the rod, while seeking a plate to " catch the 
bullets" ; and the marksman receiving order to fire, you let the 
bullet fall from your closed hand into the plate just as the pistol 
goes off. 

A Vessel thM will lei Water out at the Bottom, as soon as the Mouth is 
ETiicor/ceo?.— Provide a tin vessel, two or three inches in diameter, 
and five or six inches in height, having a mouth about three inches 
in width, and in the bottom several small holos, Just large enough 
to admit a small needle. Plunge it in water with its mouth open 
and full ; while it remains in the water stop it very closely. You 
can play a trick with a person, by desiring him to uncork it ; if he 
places it on his knee for that purpose, the moment it is uncorked 
the water will run through the bottom, and make him completely 
wet. 

2^8 Coryur^'s Banqud. — In which he eats a quantity of paper 
shavings ; afterwards draws from his mouth a barber's pole, six 
feet in length ; then draws out several yards of different colored 
ribbons ; then pushes out with his tongue an ounce of pins ; and, 
lastly, after well shredding the paper shavings, to show that there 
is nothing in them, a flight of birds come out from among them, 
their number ad libitum. This is really a first-rate experiment, and 
if got up carefully will excite much wonder. I shall commence by 
giving instructions how to make the necessary properties, com- 
mencing with the Barber's Pole. Gut some white paper into 
lengths three inches wide; paste them together, making a long 
length of ten or t^v'elve feet or more ; paint one side red, a strip 
about half an inch wide, the whole length of the paper, and at its 
edge ; glue on at one end of the paper a piece of round wood, with 
a small knot on the end ; then roll the paper up like a roll of rib-^^. 
bons. I will explain, presently, what to do with it. The next is 
to prepare your pins and ribbons. In a piece of soft paper, in as 
small a compass as you can, roll up a number of pins, and upon 
this packet roll your ribbons of different colors, making altogether 
a round ball, which you can conveniently slip into your mouth ; 
then make a long paper bag similar to those of the confectioner ; 
paint it in stripes — pink and white ; in this place your birds — can- 
aries, sparrows, or any small birds you can most conveniently pro- 
cure. The process will not hurt them, if you make a few pin-holes 



14 THE showman's GUIBE ; OR, 

ill the bag to admit the air: you then procure some pink and 
white tissue paper, cut it into strips until you have a good heap, 
as many shreded out as would fill a small bread-basket, in which 
you place them ; at the right hand, liid in the shavings, you have 
the barber's pole, the ribbons and pins, and the bag containing the 
birds, and by your side a glass of water, of which you pretend to 
drink occasionally. Thus prepared, you present yourself to the 
audience. Sip a little water, make two or three preliminary 
ahems ! run your fingers through your hair, arrange your necktie, 
curl your mustache — if you have none it will be the greater bur- 
lesque to pretend to curl it— and then, witli mock dignity, 
address your audience : " Ladies and gentlemen, doubtless 
you have witnessed the performance of many conjurers, some of 
them clever ; but of all the professors you ever saw, none of them 
ever possessed such extraordinary abilities as the illustrious indi- 
vidual who now does you the honor of exerting himself for your 
amusement. My natural modesty and diffidence prevent my say- 
ing more. I shall at once commence my performance by intro- 
ducing the Conjurer's Banquet. I have some macaronies (allud- 
ing to the paper shavings). Excuse the vulgarity, but I must re- 
fresh (takes a quantity of shavings in each liand and commences 
munching them as a horse would eat hay, taking a little water oc- 
casionally, smacldng his lips, and seeming to enjoy the feast 
very much). After having proceeded in this manner for a short 
time, take up among the shavings the barber's pole ; place it, shav- 
ings and all, against your mouth, take hold of the little knob at 
the end of the pole which is rolled up like a roll of ribbons, pull it 
gradually out, and it presents the appearance of a barber's pole 
several feet in length ; put this carefully on one side ; commence 
feeding again upon your paper shavings in the same burlesque 
style, then take up your roll of ribbons and pins, and during the 
process of seeming to eat, you slip the roll of ribbons and pins in- 
to your mouth. 

You must chew the shavings you place in your mouth into a 
hard lump, and as you supply one mouthful from the heap you 
hold in your hand, push the hard lump of chewed shavings out of 
your mouth with your tongue. Well, you have the roll of ribbons 
■^in your mouth ; place your shavings again in the basket, put your 
j , finger and thumb in your mouth, taking the end of the ribbon, and 
'Ipull it out of your mouth with both hands, one after the other ; 
letting the ribbon slip through your hands as you pull it out, it 
will appear a .Ixrger quantity. After one length or color is pulled 
out of your mouth, sip n, little water, smack your lips, and again 
secure the end of the ribbon, pulling it out in the same manner as 
the previous one ; continue this until you Jiave pulled all tlie rib- 
bon out of your mouth ; you v/ill now feel with your tongue the 
paper containing the pins ; take a littl© more water, s^atnrate the 



THE BLACK AET FULLY EXPOSED, 16 

paper and the pins will remain in your mouth ; these you push out 
•vitli your tongue, keeping tho lips almost closed ; spit the pins 
oat on a small tray, one that will somid when the pins fall on it ; it 
is more effective. The trick is now finished, excepting the flight 
of birds. Your bag containing them is at your right hand ; you 
slip this in among the shavings, and commence shredding them, 
and during this process tear the bag open, and the birds, of course, 
escape. The paper being painted in pink and white stripes, can- 
not be observed. 

A Dollar Bill Concealed in a Candle. — Ask some one to lend you a 
dollar bill, and to notice the number, etc. You then walk up to 
the screen behind which your confederate is concealed, pass the 
bill to him, and take a wax or composite candle. Then, turning 
to tho audience, you a.sk one of them — a boy would be preferred — 
to step up on the platform. At your request he must cut the can- 
dle into four fequal parts. You then take three of them, and say 
you will perform the trick by means of them, passing the fourth 
piece to the other end of the table, where your confederate has al- 
ready rolled up the note in a very small compass, and thrust it into 
a hollow bit of candle, previously made ready. You take up thi^ 
piece, and, concealing it in your hand, you walk up to the boy, an^l 
appear accidentally to knock one of the bits of candle out of hi 4 
hand, and while you are stooping to pick it up oft" the floor, yoa 
change it for the bit which contains the bill. You then place it 0:1 
the table, and say to the audience, * ' Which piece shall I take — 
right or left?" If they select the one which contains the note, aslc 
the boy to cut it carefully through the middle, and to mind that ho 
does not cut the bill. When he has made a slight incision, tell 
him to break it, when the note will be found in the middle. If th.-? 
audience select the piece which does not contain the note, you 
throw it aside, and say the note will be found in the remaining 

Eiece. When this is done with tact, the audience will naturally 
elieve that they have really had the privilege of choosing. 

To Melt Iron in a Moment, ai%d Make it Run into Drops.— Brin^j 
a bar of iron to a white heat, and then apply to it a roll of sulphur. 
The iron will immediately melt, and run into drops. 

The experiment should be performed over a basin of water, i -i 
which the drops that fall down will be quenched. These drops 
will be found reduced into a sort of cast-iron. 

To Change a Bowl of Ink into Clear Water, icith Gold-Flsh in i'.' 
—The same glass bowl as in previous trick. If your bowl has not 
a foot to it, it must be placed on something that will hold it high 
above your table. Soijie small fish, a vv'hite plate or saucer, a 
pieea ©f black gilk just fitting the inside of your bowl, a spoon of 



16 THE SHOWMAI^'S €^UID1 ; 0|^ 

peculiar construction, so tliat in a hollow handle it will retain 
about a teaspoonf ul of ink, which will not run out as long as a hole 
near the top of the handle is kept covered or stopped, A large 
tumbler and two or three minnows will do for a simpler exhibi- 
tion, but will, of course, not be so pleasing to the eye. 

Place the black silk so as to cover the part of the bowl that is 
shaded ; when damp it will adhere to the glass. Pour in clear 
water to fill the space covered by the black silk, and place the fish 
in the water. 

Commence the trick in public thus : Holding the spoon-handle 
slanting up and uncovering the hole in the handle, the ink which 
you have placed in the handle will rmi into the bowl of the spoon, 
and the spoon being held carefully to the surface of the water, 
concealing the black silk, will give the spectators the impression 
that you fill the spoon from the glass bowl. 

Pour the spoonful of ink on a white saucer, and show it roimd 
to convince the spectators it is ink. They will see it is imdenia- 
bly ink, and tliey will conclude, if the spoon were properly lifted 
©ut of the bowl, that the glass bowl contains nothing but ink. 

Borrowing a silk handkerchief, place it for a few seconds over 
the bowl, and feigning to be inviting fish to come to the bowl, ex- 
claim, "Change!" Then, placing your hand on tho edge of the 
bowl near yourself, draw off the handkerchief, and with it take 
€aro to catch hold also of the black silk. The bowl when uncov- 
ered will exhibit the fish swimming about in clear water. While 
the spectators are surprised at the fish, return the handkerchief, 
having first dropped out of it the black silk on your side of the 
table. Decline giving any explanation, as people will not thank 
you for dispelling the" illusion. 

ffoto io Swallow a Number of Needles and Yards of Thrend. — Tho 
trick is performed as follows : In the first place thread a dozen 
needles, put them in as small a compass as possible, and place 
them between the gum and tho upper lip ; you can speak without 
difficulty, and without any effort they will remain there. Let the 
needles be short ones, and take tho end of tho thread a little €lis- 
tance from the needles, and deposit it .between the gum and the 
lips in such a position that you can always feel it and pull it out 
when required. Thus being j^repared, of course unknown to your 
audience, you take your second dose of needles, placing them one 
by one on your tongue, seeming to swallow them, but depositing 
them on the other side of your mouth, between your gums and lip, 
which will effectually cohceal them, notwithstanding an examina- 
tion of the mouth ; afterward roll up between your fingers about a 
yaxd of thread; place this in your mo^h, and with your tongue 
cjonoeal it between your gum and lip. Take a drink of Avat4jr, 
maka a few ^rrj fa^es,^ th<>ai plaoo your finger aad t-hmsb in v«''>* 



fHB BLACK ART FUIXT EXPOSED. 17 

mouth, securing the end of the thread upon which the needlo3 are 
threaded, draw it out and eshibit it, taking an early opportunity 
of retiring to get rid of the needles concealed in your mouth. 
This 1.3 a most effective trick, and easily performed. Be careful 
not to swallow the needles. 

To Make a Bird Seem as Dead. — Take any bird out of a cage, 
and lay it; on a table ; then wave a small feather over its eyes, and 
it will appear as dead ; but directly you take the feather away it 
will revive again. Let it lay hold of the stem part of the feather 
with its feet, and it will twist and turn about just like a parrot ; 
you may also roll it about on the table any way you like. 

To Make the Appearance of a Flash of Lightning when Any One 
Enters a Room xoiih a Lighted Candle. — Dissolve camphor in spirits 
of wine, and deposit the vessel containing the solution in a very 
close room, where the spirits of wine must be made to evaporate by 
strong and speedy boiling. If any one then enters the room with 
a lighted candle, the air will inflame, while the combustion will bo 
so sudden, and of so short a duration, as to occasion no danger. 

To Break a Stick placed on Tivo Glasses without Breaking the 
Glasses — The stick intended to be broken, must neither be thick, 
nor rest with any great hold on the two glasses. Both its extremi- 
ties must taper to a point, and should be of as uniform a size as 
possible, in order that the center of gravity may be more easily 
known. The stick must be placed resting on the edges of the 
glasses, which ought to be perfectly level, that the stick may re- 
main horizontal, and not inclined to one side more than another. 
Care must also bo taken that the points only shall rest lightly on 
the edge of each glass. If a speedy and smart blow, but propor- 
tioned, as far as can bo judged, to the size of the stick and the dis- 
tance of the glasses, be then given to it in the middle, it will 
break in two, without either of the glasses being injured. 

To Set a Comhustible Body en Fire by the Contact of Water. — Fill a 
eaucer v,ath water, and let fall into it a piece of potassium the size 
of a pepper corn, which is about two grains. The potassium will 
instantly burst into flame, with a slight explosion, and burn vivid- 
ly on the surface of the water, darting at the same time from one 
glde of the vessel to the other, with great violence, in the form of 
a beautiful red-hot fire-ball. 

To Fat a Dish of Paper Shavings, and Draio Them Out cf Tour 
Mouth Like an Atlantic Cable. — Preparation. — Procure three or four 
yards of the thinnest tissue paper of various coloro. Cut these up 
In strips of half an inch or three-quarters of an inch breadth, and 
Kftia thesa. They will fori7i a cdntinu&ui strip cf many fe«t" in 



18 THE SHOWMAIvf's GUIDE; OR, 

length. Eoll this up carefully in a flat coil, as ribbons are rolled 
up. Let it make a coil about as large as the top of an egg-cup or 
an old-fashioned hunting-watch. Leave out of the innermost coil 
about an inch or more of tliat end of the paper, feo that you can 
easily commence unwinding it from the center of the coil. 

Procure a large dish or basketful of paper-shavings, which, can 
be obtained at little cost from any bookbinder's or stationer's. 
Shalien out it will appear to be a, large quantity. As you wish it to 
appear tliat you iiave eaten a good portion of them, you can squeeze 
the remainder close together, and then there will appear to be few 
left, and that your appetite has reason to be satisfied. 

Commence the trick by proclaiming you have a voracious appe- 
tite, so that you can make a meal off paper-shavings. Bend down 
over the plate, and take up handful after handful, pretend to muncli 
them in your mouth, and make a face as if swallowing them, and 
as you take up another handful, put out those previously in your 
mouth, and put them aside. Having gone on with this as long as 
the spectators seem amused by it ; at last, with your left hand, 
slip tiie prepared ball of tissue paper into your mouth, managing to 
place towards your teeth the end you wish to catch hold of v/ith 
your right hand, for pulling the strip out from your mouth. You 
will take care also not to open your teeth too widely, lest th<j 
whole coil or ball should come out all at once. 

Having got hold of the end, drav/ it slowly and gently forward. 
It will unroll to a length of twenty yards or more in a coiitinuous 
strip, much to the amusement of the spectators. 

When ib lias come to the end, you may remark : "I suppose we 
have come to a fault, as there is a ' solution of continuity here, 
just as the strongest cables break off,' so v/e must wait to pick up 
the end again, and go on next year, when the Great Eastern again 
goes out with its next Atlantic Cable." 

To Produce from a Silk Handkerchief Bonhotis, Candies, Nuts, etc, 
— Preparaiion. — Have packages of various candies, wrapped up in 
bags of the thinnest tissue paper, and place them on your table, 
rather sheltered from observation. Have, also, a plate or two on 
your table. 

Memorandum. — It will be always desirable to have the table re- 
moved two or three yards at least from the spectators, and of a 
height that they cannot see the surface of it while sitting down in 
front of it. 

Commence the trick by borrowing a silk handkerchief, or any 
large handkerchief. After turning it about, throw it out on the 
table, so as to fall over one of these packages. 

Having carefully obser\-ed where the bag lies, place your left 
hand so as to tak^ up th@ bag while catching hold of tho raiddle of 
tb.@ haH«iicar«hi«f. 



THE BLACK MT WLLY E:aPOg£S, 1^ 

Taking the handkerchief up by nearly the center, the edges of it 
will fall around and conceal the bag ; make some pretended sav- 
ings of your wand or right hand over the handkerchief, and say, 
•* Now, handkerchief^ you must supply my friends with some "bon- 
bons." Squeeze With your right hand the lower part of the bag 
which is under the handkerchief ; the bag Will burst, and you can 
shake out into a plate its contents. 

Asking some one to distribute them among your J^oung friends^ 
3^ou can throw the handkerchief (as it were, carelessly) over 
another bag, from which you can in the same way produce a liber- 
al supply of some other sweetmeats, or macaroon biscuits, etc., all 
of which will be duly appreciated by the Juveniles, and they will 
applaud as long as you choose to continue this sweet trick. 

To Keep a Stone in Perpetual Motion.-— Vnt very small filings of 
iron into aquafortis, and let them remain there until the water 
takes off the iron requisite, which it will do in seven or eight hours,- 
Then take the water and put it into a phial an inch wide, with a, 
large mouth, and put in a stone of lapis calaminaris, and stop it up 
close ; the stone will then keep in perpetual motion. 

To IfaTie a Card Jump Out of the Pack and Pun on the 7«6Ze.— Take 
a pack of cards, and let any one draw any card they please ; put it 
into the pack, so that you may know where to find it at pleasure^ 
Put a small piece of Wax under your thumb-nail, to which fasten 
a hair, and the other end of the hair to the card ; spread the cards 
open on the table, and desire the one chosen to jump out, which 
you may readily cause to do by means of the hair. 

How to Tell a Person cvy Card Be ikinks of, and to Ccnvty it into cC 
Nut.—Teiko a nut, in which burn a hole With a hot bodkin, and 
with a needle break and extract the kernel. "Write the name of a 
card on a piece of thin paper, and roll it up hard, and put it in 
the nut ; stop the hole with Wax, which rub over with a little dust^ 
that the puncture may not be perceived, then let some one draw a 
card ; you must take care it be that which is Written on the paper j 
desire him to break the nut, in which he will find the name of the 
card he has drawn. 

To Make a Ccne cr Pyramid Move upon a Tahle withoxd Springs 
or any other Artificicd Means. —-^gU up a piece of paper, or any 
other light substance, and put a lady beetle, or some such small 
insect, privately under it; then, as the animal will naturally en- 
deavor to free itself from its captivity, it will move the cone to- 
wards the edge of the table, and, as soon as it comes there, will 
immediately return, for fear of falling ; and by thus moving to and 
fro will occasion much sport to those who are unacquainted with 
t'-- - — -■-. 



so THE SSOWMAN^S GtriDE J OS, 

HoiJO to Make an Egg, apparently qf itself, leave the center of the Room 
dnd Traverse (o a Saucer (f Water placed in the Corner.— This is not 
adapted iot public exhibition, as the process is tedious, but it is no 
less wonderiuL Blow the 5'olk out t)f an egg, and insert a leech 
within the Bhell, securing the end by sticking on a piece of tissue 
paper. Flace the i^g^ and leech in the center of the room, and the 
saucer in the other end. In the course of timc-^it may be hours--- 
the natural instinct of the leech leads it to tlie water, and by its 
efforts causes the ^gg to move to the edge of the saucer containing 
the water. 

To Eat Cotton Wool nnd Blow Fire and Sparks out cf your Mouth. — 
Obtain some cotton wool, such as the Jewelers use to pack their 
Jewelry ; get a piece of old linen and burn it, damping it out when 
it is burnt black and reduced to tinder. If you don't understand, 
ask your grandparents how they used to malie tinder to obtain a 
light previous to-the invention of lucifer matches. . Put a light to 
the tinder ; it will not flame, but smolder. Fold it lightly in a 
piece of the wool, just as large as you can conceal in the palm of 
your hand, commencing eating in the same manner as in the Bar- 
ber's Pole Trick, with the shavings. When you have satisfied 
yourself, and while feeding yourself with the wool, slip in the 
small piece of wool containing the lighted tinder; blow, and 
smoke, and sparks will issue from your mouth, to the astonish- 
ment of the lookers-on. A very good system to practice many of 
these tricks 'is to stand before a looking-glass. 

To Make a Peg that will exactly fit three different kinds of Holes. — Let 
one of the hol3s be circular, another square, and the third oval ; 
then it is evident that any cylindrical body of a proper size may 
be made to pass through the first hole perpendicularly, and if its 
length be just equal to its diameter, it may be passed horizontally 
through the second or square hole ; also, if the breadth of the 
oval be made equal to the diameter of the base of the cylinder, 
and its longest diameter of any length whatever, the cylinder be- 
ing put in obliquely will fill it as exactly as any of the former. 

Magic Money. — This conjuring trick is performed thus : — Procure 
two quarters and a half-eagle ; conceal one of the quarters in the 
right hand ; lay the other quarter and the half-eagle on a table, in 
fall view of the audience ; now ask for two handkerchiefs ; then 
take the gold-piece up, and pretend to roll it in one of the hand- 
kerchiefs ; but, in lieu thereof, roll up the quarter, which you had 
concealed, and retain the gold coin ; give the handkerchief to one 
of the company to hold ; now take the quarter off the table, and 
pretend to roll that up in the second handkerchief ; but put up the 
half-eagle instead ; give this handkerchief to another person, and 
beg him to " hold it tight," while you utter, " Presto ! Fly !" On 



THE BLACK ART TULLt EIPOSED. 21 

opening the handkerchiefs the money will appear to have changed 
places* 

The Magic iTnrfe.— This trick, which is at once simple and clever, 
has not liefore been published. Ask one of 5'Our audience for a 
pocket-knife, and stick two small square pieces of white paper on 
each side. Give the knife to your audience to bo examined, and 
then take it in the left hand, palm upward. Let the handle of the 
knife bo clasped between the thumb and forefinger, and the blade 
extended outv/ard from 5'ou ; the handle v,'ill then lie on the palm 
of the hand toward you. Vf ith practice you will be able, by a rapid 
turn of the wrist, to pass the knife from one side of the hand to the 
other, always keeping the same side of the blade upward, while to 
your audience it will appear that you reverse it at every turn. 
Wipe the bits of paper off one side, turn the knife as directed, pass 
your fingers again across the blade, leading your audience to be- 
lieve that you have wiped them off the second side also. Both 
sides of the blade will now appear to be perfectly clean, but in fact 
you have only removed the two pieces off one side. By rapidly 
turning the knife yon may cause the bits of paper to appear and 
disappear at command. All that is required is a little dexterity 
in the turn of the wrist, which may be acquired by practice. 

To Bring Colored Ribbons from Tour Jiot/f/i.— Heap a quantity of 
finely carded wool upon a plate, which place before you. At the 
bottom of this lint, and concealed from the company, you should 
have several narrow strips of colored ribbons wound tightly into 
one roll, so as to occupy but little space. Now begin to appear to 
eat the lint by putting a handful in your mouth. The first handful 
can easily be removed and returned to the plate, unobserved, while 
the second is being "crammed in." In doing this care should be 
taken not to use all the lint, but to leave sufficient to conceal the 
roll. At the last handful, take up the roll and push it into your 
mouth, without any lint ; then appear to have had enough, and 
look in a very distressed state as if you were full to suffocation ; 
then put your hands up to your mouth, get liold of the end of the 
ribbon, and draw hand over hand, yards of ribbon, as if from your 
stomach. The slower this is done, the better the effect, When 
one ribbon is off the roll, your tongue will assist you :n pushing 
another end ready for the hand. You will fmd you need not wet or 
damage the ribbons in the least. This is a trick which is frequently 
performed by one of the cleverest conjurers of the day. 

A Cheap Way of Being Generous. — You take a little common white 
or beeswax, and stick "it on your thumb. Then, speaking to a by- 
stander, you shov/ him a dime, and tell him you Avill put the same 
into his hand ; press it down on the palm of his hand with your 



22 THE SfiOWMAN's GtJrDE; OE, 

waxed thtimb, talking to him the while, and looking him in th.€ 
face. Suddenly take away your thumb, and the coin will adhere 
to it; then close his hand, andhewillbemider the impression that 
he holds the dime, as the sensation caused by the pressing still 
remains. Yon may tell him he is at liberty to keep the dime ; but 
on opening his hand to look at it, he will find, to his astonishment^ 
that it is gone. 

To Make Fire Bo«Zc5.— The phosphoric fire bottle may be prepared 
in the following manner : Take a small phial of very thin glass, 
heat it gradually in a ladleful of sand, and introduce into it a feW 
grains of phosphorus ; let the phial be then left Undisturbed for a 
few minutes, and proceed in this manner till the phial is full, An^ 
other method of preparing this phosphoric bottle consists in heat-' 
ing two parts of phosphorus and one of lime, placed in layers, in a 
loosely stopped phial for about half an hour; or put a little phos- 
phorus into a small phial, heat the phial in a ladleful of sand, and 
when the phosphorus is melted, turn it round, so that the phospho- 
rus may adhere to the sides of the phial, and then cork it closely. 
To use this bottle, take a common brimstone match, introduce its 
point into the bottle, so as to cause a minute quantity of its con- 
tents to adhere to it. If the match be rubbed on a common bottle 
cork, it will instantly take fire. Care should be taken not to use 
the same match a second time immediately, or while it is hot, a& 
it would infallibly set fire to the phosphorus in the fcottle. 

Artificial Thunder. ^yiix two drachms of the filings of iron with 
one ounce of concentrated spirit of vitriol, in a strong bottle that 
holds about a quarter of a pint ; stop it close, and in a few moments 
shake the bottle ; then, taking out the cork, put a lighted candle 
near its mouth, which should be a little inclined, and you will soon 
observe an inflammation arise from the bottle attended with a 
loud explosion. 

To guard against the danger of the bottle bursting, the best way 
would be to bury it In the ground, and apply the light to the mouth- 
by means of a taper fastened to the end of a long stick. 

The Magic Flask.-— Take a glass bottle ; put in it some volatile 
alkali, in which has been dissolved copper filings, which will pro- 
duce a blue color. Give this flask to some one to cork up, while 
indulging in some pleasantry, and then call the attention of the 
company to the liquid, when, to their astonishment, they find the 
color has disappeared as soon as it was corked. You can cause it 
to reappear by simply taking out the stopper, and this change will 
appear equally astonishing. 

Mow to Let Twenty Gentlemen Draw Twenty Cards, and to Make One 
Card Every Mai-Cs Card.- — Take a pgck of cards: let frsv r-A-'^if^'^pn 



THE BLAeK ART FULLY EXP0SEB. 2S 

Ci-a-sr j8 card and put it in the pack again, but be sure you know 
where to find it again ; then shuffle the cards, and let another gen- 
tleman draw a card, but bo sure you let him draw the same card 
as the other gentleman drew, and continue till ten or twelve, or as 
many as you may think fit, have drawn ; then let another gentle- 
man draw another card, and put them into the pack, and shuffle 
them till you have brought the cards together ; then showing the 
last card to the compan3% the other will show the trick ; by this 
means many other feats may be done. 

. How to Double Your Pocket Money. — The only preparation is to 
have four cents concealed in your left palm. 

Commence the trick by calling forward one of the spectators, and 
let him bring up his hat with him. 

Then borrow five cents, or have them ready to produce from your 
own pocket should there be any delay. 

Eequest your friend, while he places them one by one on a small 
plate or saucer, to count them audibly, so that the company may 
hear their number correctly. Inquire, " How many are there?" 
He will answer, "Five." Take up the saucer and pour them into 
your left hand (where the other four are already concealed). Then 
say, "Stay, I will place these in your hat, and you must raise it 
above your head, for all to see that nothing is added subsequently 
to them." You will have placed these nine cents in his hat unsus- 
pected by him. 

Borrow five cents more. Appear to throw those five into your 
l3ft hand, but really retaining them in your right hand, which is to 
fall by your side as if empt^^ 

Afterwards get rid of four of the five cents into your pocket, re- 
taining only one in your right palm. 

Hold up your closed left hand, and say, while blovfing on it : 
"'Pass, cents, from my left hand into the hat. Now, sir, be kind 
enough to see if they have come into your possession. Please to 
count them aloud while placing them in the saucer." He will b© 
surprised, as well as the spectators, to find that the cents in his 
hat have become nine. 

You may then put on a rather offended look, and say : "Ah, sir ! 
ah ! I did not think you would do so ! You have taken one out, I 
f ear. " Approaching your right hand to his sleeve, shake the sleeve, 
and let the one cent, which you have in your own hand, drop audi- 
bly into the saucer. It will raise a laugh against the holder of the 
hat. You can say: "Excuse me, I only made it appear that you 
had taken one. However, you see that the original money is now 
doubled." 

To Catch Money From the Air. — The follov/ing trick, which tells 
wonderfully weU whea skillfully performed, is a great favorite 



M THB showman's GUn5B ; OR, 

with one of our best known conjurers. So far as we are aware, It 
has not before been published. Have in readiness any number oi 
silver coins— say thirty-four ; place ail of them in the left hand, 
with the exception oi four, which you must palm into the right 
hand. Then, obtaining a hat from the audience, you quietly put 
the left hand with the silver inside ; and while playfully asking if it 
is a new hat, or with some such remark for the purpose of divert- 
ing attention, loose the silver, and at the same time take hold of 
the brim with the left hand and hold it still, so as not to shake the 
silver. Now address the audience, and inform them that you are 
going to "catch money from the air." Ask some person to name 
any number of coins up to ten — say eight. la the same way you 
go on asking various persons, and adding the numbers aloud till 
the total number named is nearly thirty ; then, looking round as 
though some one had spoken another number, and knowing that 
you have only thirty-four coins, you must appear to have heard 
the number called, which, with what has already been given, will 
make thirty-four ; say the last number you added made twenty- 
eight, then, as though you had heard some one say six, and twen- 
ty-eight and six make thirty-four, • ' Thank you, I think we have 
sufficient." Then with the four coins palmed in your right hand, 
make a catch at the air, when they will chink. Look at them, 
and pretend to throw them into the hat, but instead of doing so, 
palm them again ; but in order to satisfy your audience that you 
really threw them into the hat, you must, when in the act of palm- 
ing, hit the brim of the hat with the wrist of the right hand, 
which will make the coins in the hat chink as if they had just 
fallen from the right hand. Having repeated this process several 
times, say, "I suppose we have sufficient," empty them out on a 
]>late, and let one of the audience count them. It will be found 
that there are only thirty, but the number which you were to 
catch was thirty-four. You will therefore say: "Well, we are 
four short ; I must catch just four—neither more nor less." Then, 
still having four coins palmed in your right hand, you catch again, 
and open your hands, saying to the audience, " Here they are." 

Oiirlous Watch Trick — To Tell at What Hour a Person kM Bise in 
ihz Morning. — By means of this trick, if a person will tell you the 
hour at which he means to dine, you can tell him the hour at 
which he means to get up next morning. First, ask a person to 
think of the hour he intends rising on the following morning. 
When he has done so, bid him place his finger on the hour, on the 
dial of your watch, at which he intends dining. Then — having 
requested him to remember the hour which he fir,^t thought — you 
mentally add twelve to the hour upon which he has placed his 
finger, and request him to retrograde, counting the hours you 
feaanti<aa^ wkat«var that may be, but thai h« is to oommen«« #©uMt^- 



THE BLACK AET FULLY EXPOSED. 25 

ing with the hour he thought of from the hour he points at. For 
example: Suppose he tiiought oi' rising at eight, and places his 
finger on twelve as the hour at which he means to dine, you 
desire him to count backwards twenty-fonr hours ; beginning at 
twelve he counts eight, that being the hour he thought of rising, 
eleven he calls nine, ten he calls ten — (mentally, but not aloud)^ 
and so on until he has counted twenty-four, at which point he will 
stop, which will be eight, and he will probably be surprised to find 
it is the hour he thought of rising at. 

To Produce a Cxnnon Ball from a Hat. — This is a very old trick, 
tjiough it still finds favor with most of the conjurers of the pres- 
ent day. You borrow a hat, and on taking it into your hands you 
ask a number of questions about it, or say it would be a pity for 
you to spoil so nice a hat, or make some such remark. This, 
however, is only a ruse for the purpose of diverting attention. 
Then, passing round to the back of your table — (where, by the 
way, you have arranged on pegs a large wooden " cannon ball," 
or a cabbage, or a bundle of dolls, trinkets, etc., loosely tied to- 
gether, so that they may be easily disengaged) — you wipe, in pass- 
ing, one or other of these articles off the pegs — where they must 
be very slightly suspended — into the hat so rapidly as not to be 
observed. 

Returning to the gentleman from whom you received the hat, 
you say to him : "You are aware, sir, that your hat was not empty 
when you gave it to me," at the same time emptying the contents 
in front of the audience. Supposing you have, in the first instance, 
introduced the dolls and trinkets, you may repeat the trick by 
wiping the " cannon ball," or one of the other articl33 into the 
hat, and again advancing towards the gentleman from whom you 
received it, say: "Here is your hat; thank you, sir." Then, just 
as you are about to give it to him, say : " Bless me ! what have we 
here ?" and turning the hat upside down, the large cannon ball 
will faU out. 

An Aviary in a Hat. — This excellent but well-known trick re- 
quires the assistance of a confederate. A hat is borrowed from 
one of the audience, and turned round and round to show there is 
nothing in it. It is then laid on the operator's table, behind a vase 
or some other bulky article ; after which, as if a new idea had 
occurred to you, perZorm some other trick, during which the con- 
federate removes the borrowed hat, substituting one previously 
prepared. This substituted hat is filled with small pigeons placed 
in a bag with a whalebone or elastic mouth, which fits the inside 
■ of the hat. The bag containing the birds is covered with a piece 
of cloth, with a slit in the top. The operator, taking up the hat, 
puts his hand through the slit, and takes out the birds one by on© 



26 THE SHOv\ man's GUIDE; OR, 

till all are free. The hat is then placed on the table, for the osteit- 
sible purpose of cleaning it before handing it back, and the con- 
federate again changes the hats, having in the interim fitted the 
borrowed hat with a bag similar to the other, and also filled with 
pigeons. Tiiis having been done, you call out to your confederate 
and request him, so that all your audience may hear: "Take the 
gentleman's hat away, and clean it." He takes it up and peeps 
into it, saying: "You have not let all the birds away;" upon 
which, to the surprise and amusement of the spectators, yovi pro- 
duce another lot of birds as before. In brushing the hat previous 
to restoring it to the ov^mer, the bag must be adroitly removed. 

To See a Future Husband. — On Dtlid-summer eve, just after sunset, 
three, five, or seven young women are to go into a garden in which 
there is no other person, and each to gather a sprig of red sage, 
and then, going into a room by themselves, set a stool in the 
middle of the room, and on it a clean basin full of rose-water, in 
which the sprigs of sage are to be put, and, tying a line across the 
room, on one side of the stool, each woman is to hang on it a 
clean white handkerchief ; then all are to sit down in a row on tho 
opposite side of the stool, as far distant as the room will admit, 
not speaking a single word the whole time, whatever they see, 
and in a few minutes after twelve, each one's future husband will 
take her sprig out of the rose-water, and sprinkle her handker- 
chief Vvdth it. 

On St. Agnes' night, 21st of January, take a row of pins, and 
pull out every one, one after another, saying a paternoster on 
sticking a pin in your sleeve, and you will dream of him you will 
marry. 

A bit of the bride-cake thrice drawn through the wedding-ring 
and laid under the head of an unmarried woman, will make her 
dream of her future husband. The same is practiced in the North 
with a piece of the groaning cheese. 

To Know what Fortune your Future Hashand will Have. — Take a 
walnut, a hazle-nut and a nutmeg ; grate them together, and mix 
them with butter and sugar, and make them up into small pills, of 
which exactly nine must be taken on going to bed ; and according 
to your dreams, so will be the state of tho person yon will marry. 
If a gentleman, of riches; if a clergyman, of white linen; if a 
lawyer, of darkness ; if a tradesman, of odd noises and tumults ; 
if a soldier or sailor, of thunder and lightning ; if a servant, of 
rain. 

To Give E'jgs a Variegated Appearance. — Cut up a couple of hand- 
fuls of different colored rags into small strips, mix them together 
indiscriminately, and completely envelope the egg in them ; then tiQ 
the whole in a piece of cloth and boil them for three or four hours. 



THE BLACK AET FULLY EXPOSED. 27 

The, Wtt Sleeve.— Go out, one or more, to a south running spring 
or rivulet, where "three laird's lands naeet," and dip your left shirt- 
sleeve. Go to bed in sight of a fire, and hang your wet sleeve 
before it to dry. Lie awake ; and some time near midnight an 
iipparition, having the exact figure of the grand object in question, 
will come and turn the sleeve, as if to dry the other side of it. 

To Produce Beauiifiil Fireworks in Miniature. — Put half a drachm 
of solid phosphorus into a large pint Florence flask — holding it 
Blanting, that the phosphorus may not break the glass. Pour upon 
it a gill and a half of water, and place the whole over a tea-kettle 
lamp, or any common tin lamp, filled with spirit of wine. Light 
the wick, which should be almost half an inch from the flask ; a.s 
soon as the water is heated, streams of fire Mdll issue from the 
water by starts, resembling sky-rockets ; some particles will ad- 
here to the sides of the glass, representing stars, and will 
frequently disjjlay brilliant rays. These appearances will continue 
at times till the water begins to simmer, when immediately a 
(Curious aurora borealis begins, and gradually ascends, till it 
collects to a pointed iiame ; when it has continued half a min- 
ute, blow out the flame of the lamp, and the point that was 
formed will rush down, forming beautiful illuminated clouds of 
fire, rolling over each other for some time, which, disappearing, a 
splendid hemisphere of stars presents itself; after waiting a 
minute or two, light the lamp again, and nearly the same phenom- 
<enon will be displayed as from the beginning. Let the repetition 
of lighting and blowing out the lamp be made for three or four 
times at least, that the stars may be increased. After the third or 
fourth time of blowing out the lamp, in a few minutes after the 
internal surface of the flask is dry, many of the stars will shoot 
with great splendor, from side to side, and some of tliem will fire 
off with brilliant rays ; these appearances will continue several 
minutes. What remains in the flask will serve for the same ex- 
periment several times, and without adding any more water. Care 
should be taken, after the operation is over, to lay the flask and 
water in a cool, secure place. 

To Construct and Inflate a Small Balloon.-^lt is an interesting and 
amusing experiment to inflate a small balloon made of gold-beat- 
er's skin (using a little gum arable to close any holes or fissures), 
filling it from a bladder or jar, and tying a thread round the mouth 
of it to prevent the escape of the gas. When fully blown, attach a 
fanciful car of colored paper, or very thin pasteboard to it, and let 
it float in a large room ; it will soon gain the ceiling, where it will 
remain for any length of time ; if it be let off in the open air, it will 
ascend out of sight. This experiment may be varied, by putting 
small grains of shot into the car, in order to ascertain the differ- 
ence betweeja the weight of hydrogen gas and atmospheric air. 



28 THE showman's guide; or, 

The Enchantsd Cock. — Bring a cock into a room with both your 
hands close to his wings, and hold them tight; put him on a table, 
and point his beak down as straight as possible ; then let any ono 
draw a lino with a piece of chalk directly from his beak, and all 
the noise you can possibly make will not disturb him for some 
time, from the seeming lethargy which that position you have laid 
him in has effected. 

The Orkn'al Bill Triclc—Thm trick, as practiced by the Eastern 
juggler, who Aisited England some time ago, with the famous Ori- 
ental Troupe, is particularly effective. Procure three balls of 
wood, the size of billiard balls, each having a small hole drilled 
completely through it, the hole the size of an oi'dinary black-lead 
pencil. 

Procure, also, two pieces of white tape, each ten feet long. 
Double each tape exactly in half, so that they become only five 
feet long. Insert the folded end into one of the balls ; pull it 
through about an inch ; then open the double tape, which of course 
becomes a loop ; into which loop insert a,bout an inch of the 
folded end of the other piece of tape ; then carefully draw the first 
tape back into the ball, and it will be found that the joint of tho 
two tapes in the hall is not only very firm, but completely hidden, 
Tiien thread the other ends of one tape into one of the other balls, 
and slide the ball along the tape until it reaches tho first ball. Dq 
the same with the other ball on the other tape. Thus all the balls 
will be threaded on the tape, the center ball containing the tape 
connections. All this is prepared beforehand. When tho trick ia 
performed, show the three balls on the tapes, and ask two persona 
to hold the ends of the tapes, allowing tho balls to swing loosely 
in the center. Show that there is no trick about it by sliding the 
two outer balls to and fro upon the tape. To make it more won- 
derful (but really to accomplish the trick"), ask each person to drop 
o?ie end of their respective tapes, so that the balls may be tied on, 
Make a single tie of the two lengths, and give each person an end, 
hill not the end he held before. Now request the assistants to pull 
gradually, and as the tapes become strained, strike two or three 
smart blows with the hand, or a stick, upon the balls, and they 
will fall to the ground uninjured, while, to the astonishment of 
every one, the tapes remain unbroken. The tape used should be 
the best of linen, and about three-quarters of an inch wide, 

An Emellmt Card TVic/c— Place all tho diamonds of the pack, 
except the court cards, in a row on the table, Place also a few 
common spades and hearts, or clubs, between some of the diamonds, 
as, for example, three of hearts, five of diamonds, nine of clubs, 
six of diamonds, four of spades, nine of diamonds, etc. Take 
care to lay all the cards in the same direction — that is, with th^ 
tops of the cards all one way. This is easy enough as regards tii« 



THE BLACK AET FULLY EXPOSED. 29 

spades, clubs, and hearts — ^and really as easy as regards the dia- 
monds — for on closo inspection it will be seen that the margin 
between the point of the diamond and the edge of the card is 
much smaller at one end of the card than the other. Place the 
narrow margins at the top, and the trick is ready. 

Request one or two of the company to invert any of the cards in 
your absence. They will naturally turn a diamond, never sus- 
pecting the difference of margin ; the change of spades, etc., being 
too 'apparent a matter. On your return you at once detect the 
changed card or cards. Should any one discover the trick, defy 
the deiedor to tell which card is tiu'ned during'his absence. When 
he leaves the room turn a spade or heart completely round, leaving it 
exactly as it was before; then summon the would-be-conjurer, 
whose perplexity will afford considerable amusement. 

The Ring and Siiclc. — This trick is very puzzling, and requires but 
little preparation or practice. 

Get two brass curtain rings ; keep one of them in the coat sleeve, 
offer the other to the company for examination — ^procure a light 
walking-stick, and secretly slip the ring from the sleeve upon the 
stick, covering it well with the left hand. Hold the stick in the 
center with the ring concealed, and invite two persons to hold the 
ends of the stick. While engaging the attention by some apparent 
necessity for having the stick either higlier or lov/er — a little 
higher at one end, a little lower at the other, etc., etc. — give the 
stick a smart tap with the examined ring in your right hand, and 
withdraw the left hand rapidly, making the ring on the stick spin 
violently. 

It will appear that the ring in the right hand has passed miraculous- 
ly upon the stick ; how, no ono can tell, the ring being solid, and 
the stick guarded at both ends. The right-hand ring must be se- 
creted in the sleeve or pocket after the effect is produced ; but no 
great haste is required, as every one will be too intent upon ex- 
amining the ring on the stick to watch the operator. 

The Ilat Pt<zz?5.~Eequest any person to mark upon the wail the 
exact height of an ordinary silk hat, supposing the hat to be placed 
on its crown on the floor. Exhibit the hat before its height is 
marked, and it is curious to observe how entirely different are the 
ideas of half a dozen persons upon the subject— the greater number 
marking high enough for two or three hats. 

The Jlestored Handkerchief. — A hat, a newspaper, a handkerchief, 
a pair of scissors, and a plate, are required to carry out this illu- 
sion. Place a hat on the table at the back of the room, that is, 
away from the audience, but in sight of them. Borrow a handker- 
chief, and dexterously substitute another in its place. This ia 
easy enough to do. Proceed as follows ;— 



so THE showman's GTJTDE ; OE, 

Secrete a •eommon handkerchief between the lower (xlge of the 
eoat and waisteoat, the lower button of the coat being fastened, 
that the handkerchief may not falL Having obtained a lady's 
handkerchief, holding it in the left hand, turn sharply round, and, 
in the act of turning, draw the concealed handkerchief from the 
coat, and pass the borrowed handkerchief from the left to the right 
hand, so that the two handkerchiefs are brought together. Pre- 
tend to look for some mark in the borrowed handkerchief, but 
really be crushing the borrowed handkercliief into small compass, 
and spreading out the false one. 

Then lay it mi the^edge of the hat, exposing well the false article 
and dropping the real one into the hat, at the same time bidding 
the company observe that the handkerchief never leaves their sight. 
Then fetch a pair of scissors, or borrow a pen-knife. Take the 
false handkerchief and cut out the middle. Ask some one to hold 
the middle tightly in his hand : some one else to hold the edges in 
the same manner. Leave the room to fetch a plate, taking the hat 
away at the same time. Lay the real handkerchief Hat between 
two pages of a newspaper, fold the paper and return with both 
paper and plate to the company. Now set fire to the edges of the 
destroyed handkerchief ; let the fire burn itself out in the plate. 
Spread the paper out on the table, ail but the last fold, which con- 
ceals the other handkerchief. Place the cut center on the paper ; 
empty the a,shes from the place upon the center ; fold up the paper 
and crush it as much as possible, so that the folds or creases may 
not betray anything. Lastly, pick the paper to pieces until the 
restored handkerchief is gradually developed ; pull it out, and 
throw the paper all into the lire. A little practice will render this 
illusion very startling in its effect. Care must be taken, in borrov/- 
ing the handkerchief, to secure one as much like the property hand- 
Jcerchief as possible. 

To Make a Cane or Poker Stand in (he 3fidcUe of the Room. — Get two 
black pins, a piece of black silk thread about a yard long. Tie a 
pin on each end, and fasten the pins into the cloth of the trousers 
under each knee ; thus the walking about is not interfered with, 
and the line iiangs loosely between the knees. Sit down at some 
distance from, the company, and spread the knees to tighten the 
silk. Take the stick or poker, and rest it against the silk, and it 
will remain stationary, even at a great angle. The operator should 
pretend to make magnetic passes with the hands, as though the 
effect were due to magnetic influence. 

The Trick of the Inexhaustible BoUle.-^This is so well known, that 
it requires but little description. It is an ordinary-looking bottle 
from which, after having been proved to be perfectly empty, many 
kinds of wines and spirits are produced in apparently iuexhausti- 
Me varieties and quantities. 



eoioioi soMFum 



AND 

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Address HURST & CO., UMm, m Nassau St., New York. 















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